Steamin' In

---

We nearly didn't make the bus to Tauranga, as there was a truck crash which blocked the road in the Coromandel and alternative routes are not thick on the ground - a quick trip over the mountain on a gravel road, a phone call to delay our connection and the day was saved! Would the same have happened with National Express?

Tauranga was big and bustling, after life on the Coromandel. We found ourselves in the heart of the action in a backpackers on The Strand - a great view from the third floor balcony of the harbour and the proceedings on the street below. We ventured over the causeway and climbed Mount Maunganui - the must do around Tauranga.

Rotorua was as smelly as ever, in a nice sort of way. You can take as many photos as you like, but you can never relay that smell of sulphur that hangs around permanently in the air. We never really had a set plan for Rotorua having done most of the prime tourist activities last visit and it was primarily a necessity of the Intercity bus timetables. As a consequence, we mainly wandered around town examining various mud pools and hot air vents in the ground. It has to be said mind, that the museum is probably one of the finest of it's kind anywhere in New Zealand. Miranda enjoyed her interactive afternoon activities designing a new national flag and it remains to be seen whether it's accepted in due course. The plan for a cheap stay went out of the window with John's purchase of a new pair of Teva walking shoes in the Kathmandu sale - at 1/2 price and given the state of his boots after 5 1/2 months he figured he couldn't afford not to buy them! A visit to Rotorua wouldn't be complete without a trip to the Spa, although clearly the magic healing qualities of the waters for gout are a load of nonsence given that one member of the party is still on the tablets.

---

Photos

Rotorua
Maori carving on Meeting House

Rotorua
Maori cariving on Meeting House

Rotorua
Aotearoa - The Land of the Long White Cloud

Rotorua
The Sulphur Lake

Rotorua
The Old Balth House

Rotorua
Mud Pool

Rotorua
Miranda ponders which direction NZ is going in....this driver is clearly hedging his bets!

Rotorua
Maori carving on Meeting House

Mount Maunganui
Fine dining served in newspaper - more flouting of the EEC rules

Tauranga
Drinking and thinking on The Strand

Tauranga
Maori carvings on The Strand

Tauranga
Cafe Society